Our music choices say a lot about us – make the wrong choice when on the AUX cord and risk side eyes from your coworkers.

There are the crowd-pleasers you know will get most of the office tapping their feet, and then there are the songs so special to us that we dare to share them, knowing no one else can possibly understand their impact. 

The 30UNDER30 cohort for 2024/2025 has risked it all, divulging to Australian Design Review the top tunes they play while at work for our listening pleasure.  

Annie MacLean  – interior designer

Favourite track: Mt. Grace by Christian Löffler  

“If I need to feel inspired and motivated it certainly gets me in the creative mood,” MacLean says. 

Billie Murphy  –  senior interior designer 

Favourite track: Sleeping Lotus by Joep Beving 

“I find it hard to concentrate if I play music with vocals, so I like that his work allows me to focus,” Murphy says. “I find I can get lost in a creative trance and lose track of time as one song so seamlessly passes to the next.” 

Daniella Bassin  – senior interior designer

Favourite track: anything by Fred Again 

Ilianna Ginnis  – interior architectural designer, access consultant

Favourite track: Summer by Antonio Vivaldi 

“I usually enjoy listening to classical music while working, as it helps me stay calm and focused,” Ginnis says.

Julia Prell – interior designer 

Favourite track: Trick Me by Kelis 

“Unashamedly, I love a bit of a bop at my desk,” Prell says. 

Kaila Cicchini  – interior designer 

Favourite track: Boiler Room X Fly Open Air 2019 by Folamour 

“It’s my ‘hour of power’ soundtrack and I can just get into the zone,” Cicchini says. “It’s perfect for when I need to power through a task, get inspired or just need some uplifting.” 

Katherine Luu  – architect 

Favourite track: Dreamlover (Acoustic Cover) by Coloratura 

“I can get really distracted listening to music so I have to select something that’s calm and not super catchy,” Luu says. 

Lachlan Mackay  – industrial designer 

Favourite track: Hello, Hi by Little Simz

“I’m either sitting there with headphones in, no music, or going through my liked songs depending on the mood,” Mackay says. “Today I am listening to Hello, Hi by Little Simz to get the day started, but of course ask me tomorrow and it could be a completely different vibe or song as it’s all about the mood!” 

Margot Lapalus  – interior designer

Favourite track: Billie Bossa Nova by Billie Eilish 

“It relaxes my brain,” Lapalus says. 

Maryam Moghadam – product designer 

Favourite track: Dance of Maria by Elias Rahbani 

“The song of the opening credits to my biopic,” Moghadam says. 

Rachel Santos – interior designer

Favourite track: Sunset Lover by Petit Biscuit

“It takes me back to the European study tour I took during university, an unforgettable experience that included visiting the Venice and Berlin Biennales and being mentored by Raumlabor Berlin,” Santos says. “The trip opened my eyes to the world of design in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The experiences and the people I met had a huge impact on my path in design. Sunset Lover was a constant companion during that journey, serving as a reminder of how far I’ve come and why I’m so passionate about design. The track itself is gentle and soothing, making it the perfect soundtrack for working. It’s melodic, yet calm enough to help me focus and clear my mind. It’s one of those songs that makes even the most challenging tasks feel just a little bit easier.” 

Samantha Wardle – interior designer 

Favourite track: Je Te Laisserai Des Mots by Patrick Watson

“Audibly, this song gives me that euphoric ‘a-ha’ feeling. It’s a perfect in-between that helps me focus yet is emotive and soothing. It also makes me feel like I’m strolling the streets of Paris,” Wardle says. 

Siena Crestani – interior designer

Favourite track: The Magnificent Moon by Mildlife 

“This song gets me completely energised, focused and in the zone, while also foot tapping and grooving a little bit,” Crestani says. “I love their jazzy, psychedelic tempos.”

Taylah Cheeseman – interior designer

Favourite track: They Don’t Know by Savage (feat. Aaradhna) 

“An oldie but a goldie [that] keeps the vibes high,” Cheeseman says. “Music is a must to my work flow routine. I’m very much attached to the 90s-2000s.” 

Vincent Tsang – industrial designer 

Favourite track: Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106 by Johann Sebastian Bach

“Consultancy, particularly at Vert [design studio], is often a fast-paced and stressful working environment. Part of our job also demands us to think deeply about the problem or project at hand. Often, if I feel stressed or overwhelmed I turn to a playlist titled Andante, which features mostly music that is at a walking pace,” Tsang says. “This is the first track and I turn to this often when I need to calm down to relax in a contemplative mode. This recording gets me there very quickly.”

Listen to and save the 30UNDER30 playlist below:

Images supplied by designers.

Listen to last year’s 30UNDER30 playlist.